Before the Onfield Warmup
by DRUMLINEpaco
Summary: The atmosphere and traditions while standing on the side of the stadium, before one step is marched on that field...


Before the On-Field Warmup  
  
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[A/N:] The most memorable thing about marching show is sometimes before you even get on the field, and yall know it! GO TWHS! IN YOUR FACE REAGAN!  
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Nina took a deep breath. She stood in a very crowded block, about to enter the field for the Grand Nationals Semifinals Performance. This performance would determine whether or not they made finals...whether their hard work and dedication would be worth it in the end.  
  
On her right stood the saxophones, and past them stood the silvery sousaphones. Behind her stood the smallest bass drummer Kasi, a girl just a year older, and had never marched a drum until this year. In front of her, bass drum three, Tyler, was glancing around, looking about as nervous as such a confident person as Tyler could look. Nina herself found herself resting her left hand on the rim of her drum, which she often did when she was trying to embrace the moment. She loved her drum.  
  
No one in the band spoke. The BOA Voice was still announcing the accomplishments of the band that had just marched before them. Mr. Johnson walked to the front of the band, between the line of saxophones and the line of sousaphones.  
  
"Hand on the shoulder!"  
  
Nina sighed, feeling sadness enter her soul. The bass line never participated in this. Everyone in the band would now put their hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them, uniting everyone in band. The bass drums couldn't reach from one bass to the next and it drove Nina crazy.  
  
Mr. J began his speech, "This is no different from the parking lot back home, hundreds of miles away. The yardlines are the same, the hashmarks are the same, and most importantly, you are surrounded by the same people that experienced this marching season with you. We are one. We are ONE!"  
  
Nina felt her eyes water. She turned her drum at a 45° angle and placed her left hand on Tyler's shoulder. Kasi saw this, and mimicked Nina's actions. Tyler glanced at Nina, smiling and then turned his drum in the same manner to place a hand on Kurt' shoulder. Kurt, bass four, put his hand on bass five, Sean; Sean to bass six Blake; Blake to the end snare, Amelia, and the drumline was united. They finally were one.  
  
"Now you have a choice," J continued, "You have a choice as to how many shows you want to march this evening, before you fly home tomorrow and marching season will be over. The seniors you stand beside now will have their last march on the field in the next 7 minutes, OR," he emphasized, "Or. You can show the judges what The Woodlands is really made of, and in two hours' time, we will not be watching Finals from the stands, but we will be the band on the field that places FIRST!"  
  
This final statement caused the whole band to explode in an uproar of cheers and optimism. Finals, at Grand Nationals! They could MAKE IT! They had only to be one of the twelve selected out of the thurty-three semi-finalists...  
  
The voice of BOA boomed over the speakers, filling the RCA Dome with the name of the band that Nina and three hundred fifty of her peers represented. "And now, from The Woodlands, Texas, please welcome the The Woodlands High School Marching Band..." J dutted four times as loud as he could, and the band was off, in perfect step with everyone around them. Kurt turned around and said to the top three basses, "Box five. write it." Immediately he turned around and reminded the other half of the drumline.  
  
The BONA Box 5 tradition...  
  
Every competition, everyone would breathe on their bass drums or just hope there was enough condensation on the snares and tenors to trace out the letters "BONA" for Beats of a New Age...The Woodlands Drumline's slogan...and the number 5 in a box to represent their Box 5 record, now 13 years running.  
  
Nina leaned forward and breathed on her drum. Switching her mallets to her left hand, she reached around her little bass with her right hand. She admired the seemingly simple but at this moment, incredibly meaningful phrase, and switched her sticks back to set. The band turned to the back bleachers and played the on-field warmup while the drumline shook their hands around and tapped on their legs silently to warm up their hands. Nina caught the eyes of a senior clarinet, Nicole, and they smiled at each other, followed by a look of false uneasiness that seemed to say, "Hope we don't mess up", with a tone of humour. They both mouthed "good luck" at each other, and the band turned and took their places on the field, colour guard in their spots behind the props until the opening rifle toss.  
  
The last performance?  
  
The drum major counted off with her hands and Nina lifted her mallets, playing the first of the show which belonged solely to her, and the rest of the bass drums after a few moments. 16 counts later, she stepped off, the band played the first fanfare note, and the show began... 


End file.
